Discovering My Descent with AncestryDNA

Growing up, I looked nothing like my family.

My 5-foot-4-inch petite sister is a stark contrast to my 5 feet 9 inches and very athletic (read: broad) frame.

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I was adopted at birth. It was a closed adoption, which means I wasn’t legally allowed to find my birth family until after I was eighteen. At 21, I still haven’t looked into it. I am so grateful for my adoptive parents, and I consider them just as much my “real” parents as any biological child would.

In this photo, my mom is in heels, and I am slightly squatting to even out our heights — just a fun fact.

My sister is my parents’ biological daughter and three years older than I am. My family know their descent, and my sister and my dad share many of the same features. Along with my immediate family, my friends all know their descent — like almost full-blooded Polish with some French, or half German and half Scottish. They are all very proud of their heritage, and this sparked my curiosity to know where I came from. I wanted to feel that pride and tie to a country just like they did.

After pestering my parents for quite a while, I finally got AncestryDNA tests. I spit in a tube, sealed it up, and sent the box. Before I could send it off, I needed to decide whether I wanted to be notified of family tree matches. I had honestly never been this close to potentially finding out who my biological family was. I could check that little box and change my life. That felt surreal to me.

After lots of contemplation with my parents, I decided not to check the box. I have the option to go back and check it, but I don’t think it’s the right time for me or my family. I did, however, get to find out my nationality and other tidbits about myself. I always joked that I look very “American” since no one could ever place me with one country. My friends had a running list of what they all thought I was, and only one of them got one right in the end.

Finding out where I came from, in any capacity, was a very unusual feeling for me. I have never felt that sense of knowing my family history, medical or otherwise. It felt weird to know a little bit about where I belonged after 21 years. So, drumroll please…

I am 73% from England, Wales, and Northwestern Europe, 17% from Ireland and Scotland, 5% German, and 5% Swedish. Honestly, I was pretty surprised to see that I was so heavily from England and the surrounding region. My parents and I always assumed I was more Scandinavian than I actually turned out to be. I also learned cool facts about myself based off my DNA, like how I probably don’t sneeze when exposed to bright lights, which is true.

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This experience may seem insignificant to some, but it was so cool for me to find out where I came from and where I belong. If you’re considering doing one of these tests, I highly suggest it, even if you already know a little bit about your history.

Be well, Auburn.

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Photography: Zoe L.